Former Barney Actor Is Now a Tantric Sex Therapist

The world is a weird place sometimes. For the sake of example, David Joyner, the guy who used to play the iconic purple dinosaur on Barney, is now a tantric sex therapist. Yes, the man who sported the Barney costume on the beloved children's show has been a practicing tantric sex therapist since 2004. His clients come in various ways, from word of mouth to women he meets on Tinder. Surprisingly, he says the same energy he used to bring Barney the dinosaur to life is based in Tantra, which he now uses in questionable sex therapy. Here's what he had to say in a recent interview with Vice.

"The energy I brought up [while] in the costume is based on the foundation of tantra, which is love. Everything stems, grows, and evolves from love. Even when you have emotionally blocked energy, the best way to remove it is to remove it with love, and then replace it with God's divine love. Love heals and allows you to continue to grow."

David Joyner charges $350 for a three to four-hour session, which can include a wide range of things. The services range from a ritual bath, chakra balancing, a massage or, in some cases, even sex. That may sound dangerously close to prostitution, because it is. But it's in a grey area and none of his clients have ever complained of being pressured into sex and he has no sexual harassment complaints filed against him at this time. What's a bit strange is that Joyner says he would use some of this spiritual energy to "draw the kids" in while portraying Barney.

"Before I got into the [Barney] costume, I would pray and ask God to allow his loving divine spirit to flow through me through the costume and let that draw the kids. That energy would always draw them in. Children are more connected spiritually than [adults]. A lot of times when I see infants and I'm out and about at the grocery store or whatever, they start staring at me. I make the joke, 'You know who I am.'"

The actor-turned-therapist also says that his practice of tantra helped him get by while working on Barney and Friends. The suit was reportedly 70 pounds and it could get as hot as 120 degrees inside. It's probably tough for those who grew up on Barney to even consider that the guy bringing the character to life is now a sex therapist. If it's any comfort, he doesn't have sex with all of his clients.

"Not all of my sessions have sex or 'spiritual intimacy.' It's only in the full-sessions, when someone is ready to take the sexual energy to a higher level. Because then it's about understanding that when the lingam and the yoni connect there's a spiritual exchange that takes place, not physical pleasure. It's not about sex or trying to coerce someone into have sex. It's about removing emotionally blocked energy."

If it's any further consolation to those who feel their childhood has been violated to some degree, Bob West (mostly) provided the voice of Barney while David Joyner was portraying him in the suit. Joyner treats women exclusively and currently has 30 clients, whom he refers to as "goddesses." You can check out the full interview with Joyner over at Vice.